The news over the weekend landed with a thud in most quarters -- Asian carp DNA had been found in water samples taken from Sandusky Bay and the Lake Erie waters of north Maumee Bay.
In a basic translation, that meant the invasive fish had been in those waters at some point, and left its fingerprints, or its tracks in the snow.
The samples had been collected a year ago as part of a wide-ranging study conducted by a team of researchers from Notre Dame, in conjunction with fisheries biologists from Ohio, Michigan, and the federal government.
When the results flashed positive that bighead carp DNA was present in the Lake Erie samples, the reaction to the news covered the emotional gamut.
The myriad partners with a deeply vested interest in the long-term health of the Great Lakes -- fishermen, conservationists, boaters, environmentalists, operators of tourist-related businesses, and lake lovers in general -- shared shock, outrage, sadness, anger, and resentment.
Hmmmm...I know a couple of economists who might be able to assess the potential economic losses from the alien invasion.
